Jim Gandy Headed To The White House

Gandy will be in Washington for the release of the 3rd National Climate Assessment.

Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- WLTX Chief Meteorologist Jim Gandy has been extended an invitation to the White House for the release of the 3rd National Climate Assessment.

The invitation was extended to him because of Climate Matters. It is nationally known as a model for weathercasters to use to educate viewers about climate change.

The National Climate Assessment was developed by over 240 scientists to gage the change in the climate and its effects on our infrastructure, economy, agriculture, and ecology.

It is broken down into regions of the country as not everyone will experience the same effects. This is different from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in that the assessment is focused only on the United States.

The last assessment was in 2009 and was the starting point for developing the award winning Climate Matters aired on WLTX.

Jim's day at the White House will include briefings from administration officials, cabinet members, and scientists. Jim will also have a one-on-one interview with the President..

In the afternoon conference Ed Maibach, University Professor and Director of Mason's Center for Climate Change Communication will address how this information can be used by weathercasters. His draft contains a mention of Jim's work in Climate Matters.

Jim was recently honored by the South Carolina Sierra Club as the 2013 Media Person of the Year .

In 1998, Jim joined Gannett Television, where he worked as a meteorological consultant with the weather staffs of the company's 22-station broadcast group.

Gandy is a member of the American Meteorological Society, the National Weather Association, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Geophysical Union and the Planetary Society. In an effort to bring the science of meteorology to schools, Jim has taught a course called Weather Science for Teachers through the Center for Science Education at the University of South Carolina.

Jim will be very active on Twitter for his trip to the White House, so be sure to follow him @JimGandyWLTX, and he will be using the hashtag: #JimInDC the entire day.